The strategy corner: Pelosi's action plan

Tags:

Text Size

-

+

reset

In an Ideas piece, Penn writes an open letter to Pelosi recommending her to simply declare a do-over.
AP Photo

To Hon. Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

The accusations that the CIA did not properly disclose its waterboarding activities to you in 2002 are making you a lightning rod for criticism from the right and causing a split within Democratic ranks at a time when party unity is essential for the big fights ahead on health care and energy reform.

President Barack Obama has planted his feet firmly in the center on the war against terror and upped the troop levels in Afghanistan, allowed modified military trials and quashed the torture abuse photos that would have captured headlines and sympathy. Given that, he is making you appear out of step with his strategy and goals.

Leon Panetta is an experienced congressional hand and savvy Washington player — no way would he have dropped the material and tough response defending the CIA on you unless he was certain of the facts. Just out of deference to fellow members of Congress, he would have been extra careful to review the material — and it’s unlikely he released all of this without getting the nod from the White House or without getting at least a tacit OK.

Of course, it’s arguable his position does have weaknesses — “we are the CIA and we may waterboard people, but we never lie to Congress about it.” It is kind of farfetched when you think about it.

But instead of giving you credit for your strong positions, people are instead inclined to believe that you are blaming the CIA rather than admitting you knew about these policies and did not act. And the idea that Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) complained in your stead the second time in 2003 isn’t being believed, either — she has disassociated herself from your account.

A look at your poll numbers shows that you don’t exactly have the political capital of the other players here — most disapprove of Congress and most disapprove of you. Precisely at a time when Obama is building up as much cross-party support as he can muster on issue after issue — even reaching out to the anti-abortion community — you are seen as going in the opposite direction.

You have 71 percent support among Democrats but only 25 percent support among independent voters, according to a recent Daily Kos poll. Your overall 34-50 unfavorable rating dropped 7 percentage points last week.

Calls for a commission, while also generally popular, have a high degree of risk in terms of the outcome for you. An independent panel could release a series of recommendations you support, and that would associate you with reform. But a commission could also side with the CIA in terms of who was told what at the briefings seven years ago.

Readers' Comments (17)

You are the definition of an incompetent liberal democrat. Please do all us conservatives a favor and do NOT resign your post. After all, we need you as an example of Liberal ignorance so that the American people can be reminded everyday what a joke you truly are.

The accusations that the CIA did not properly disclose its waterboarding activities to you in 2002 are making you a lightning rod for criticism from the right and causing a split within Democratic ranks at a time when party unity is essential for the big fights ahead on health care and energy reform.

This is Penn's way of saying you've screwed things up real bad, Nancy.

President Barack Obama has planted his feet firmly in the center on the war against terror and upped the troop levels in Afghanistan, allowed modified military trials and quashed the torture abuse photos that would have captured headlines and sympathy. Given that, he is making you appear out of step with his strategy and goals.

I'll give the new kid credit where credit is due on this one. Though I think some of it has been political calculation, he hasn't done anything that drastic on this front. I don't like the way he's reaching out to Iranian president Mohmoud A-madman-in-jihad but other than that I'd give a pass on much of the war stuff. (for those of you who say "nothing he does will make them happy") I think Obama's strategy and goals are way different from Pelosi and ilk. Obama wants to enact a liberal agenda but just sees Republicans and the right as obstacles to be pushed aside. I think it's personal with Pelosi and ilk. They would like to see the opposition punished and made to suffer. Bush is the past. Obama just wants to use him as a scapegoat ("I inhereited this") and leave it at that. Pelosi and co. can't let it go. Obama was just throwing about to the lefty loons when he announced the Gitmo closing. They sent him a lot of money. I don't think he wants to do the whole partisan investigation and prosecution mess.

Dear Speaker. Is that like when the North Korean press addresses their Dear Leader? No, of course not...libs like Mark Penn only use that reverent tone of address to The Titan Of Hope And Change. It would seem that Dear Barry is walking away from the Dear Speaker and a purge might be in progress. These commies might be inept at finance and economics but when it comes to slitting each other's throats in messy power struggles they're the CHAMPS! Nancy needs to call for a re-do? Is Mr. Penn talking about her plastic surgery, which seems to be sagging a bit, or a re-do on the gigantic whopping lies she's been telling?

One thing we can all agree on, of course, is that treating Islamonazi terrorists who yearn to murder thousands of innocent people using the same brutality Muslim men routinely use on their wives and daughters is a terrible injustice. Why, these CIA thugs actually frightened one of those homicidal savages with a live caterpillar! This whole incident underlies the fact that these Hope And Change morons are broadcasting a new policy of total weakness and putting out the welcome mat for any group of malcontents who wants to bomb their agenda into the headlines and the Ivy League lecture circuit by offing a few thousand citizens of The Great Satan.

Penn screwed up Hillary's campaign, why take his advice? That said, its this type of media manipulation that is driving the real people nuts. Now I hate Penn as much as Pelosi...a difficult task....I thought.

Good advice Mark, but I don't think she has the brains or humility to back down now. She has accused the CIA of lying to her, knowing full well that the "notes" can always be disputed. She will continue to be an embarrassment for this nation so long as she remains the Speaker of the House.

I am just entering senior citizenship and can sympathize with the speaker. I'm constantly forgetting things, I'm no longer the sharpest tool in the box, and I see dementia causing me to make stupid mistakes. We will all get to that point. It is up to the seniors to help Pelosi retire graciously and recommend good independent living developments. It is probably a good argument for term limits too.

Don't forget that Pelosi is part of the same political clique that destroyed California's economy.

I wouldn't want to see her do the same thing for the US as a whole. However, even though she is Speaker, her primary power is in blocking reform, she doesn't have a lot of power in putting legislation through, because most Democrats in the House aren't extremist lunatics like her.

You have to love the Democrats, and Mark Penn specifically. Here's, the Speaker of the House, get's caught in a bold face lie of her own making, gets it tossed back in her face by Leon Panetta, and the Mark Penn's advice is to declare a do-over, tell the public your recollection is different, and move on. Excuse me Mr. Penn, how about Ms. Pelosi admitting she lied? How about admitting she knew better than to try and dump her misguided rhetoric on an atttentive public, but she couldn't help herself? How about admitting she was so damn partisan back in 2002, she could not possibly let on she was on board with the CIA tactics because she wanted to slam the President every chance she had. In other words Ms. Speaker, how about owning up to your own sleasy strategy and take the hit like a woman. And one more thing, spare us the nonsense about you only heard it from a staffer. No staffer goes to a top secret CiA briefing and doesn't return with a full briefing to you. Additionally, there should be a question as to why a staffer would even be allowed in that kind of a briefing, since you morons have always suggested it was only for select members of the Intelligence Committee.